Work Text:
The Grace of an Uncrowned Queen
I look at the hobbit that places the one ring so close to me, and I can hear the ring whisper to me, but I ignore it. I look down at my dress, it is the most beautiful one I own. It is pale blue with a tight corset and it slips along my curves without showing them too much.
I am the only woman present at this meeting and I can see that most people are staring at me. They don’t understand that I am not helpless. I have thought with a sword since I was only a few years old, and I am good with most weapons, but mostly my sword.
- I am sorry, but why do we have a woman here at this meeting, she shouldn’t be here!
I don’t even have to look up to see that Legolas has stood up and is going to introduce me in a few seconds. He should know better, but he is young if we are talking about elf standards.
- This is not just a woman. Her name is Arabelle, daughter of Arathorn, and heir of the throne of Gondor.
I swiftly stand up and the man that talked before grips my dress. He just smiles, but that smile is scary. I have seen that on other people when they don’t like me, or someone else. Especially when they get to know that I am the heir of the throne of Gondor, that I am the uncrowned queen.
- Kindly let go of my dress. I won’t wait for you to scream in horror when I kill you if you don’t let go. So kindly let go of it.
He doesn’t let go of it and I can’t help but start getting frustrated. Mostly because it is embarrassing, but also because I am standing in a position so that I can’t breathe thanks to the corset. Why didn’t I choose to wear a pair of pants or a looser dress?
- I am going to give you one more chanse, if you don’t let go in 5 seconds so will you have a knife in your stomach.
He smiles a little and I hear the sickening sound of my dress ripping. I am thankful that I chose to layer it, even though it is uncomfortable. I drag out a ten centimeter long knife from my corset and it is at his neck in seconds. That man is crazy.
I look over at Legolas that just shakes his head, I slowly let the knife away from his neck and walk over to Legolas that stands up and gives me his place. I shake my head before I step out of the overskirt, the one the man ripped.
I look over at the ring once again and this time does the hobbit hold it in his hand. Gandalf is standing at his side and I understand that whatever happened did happen in about a minute. I watch how one of the dwarfs and the man goes and stands behind the hobbit. Legolas' eyes meet mine for a few seconds before both of us walk over to them.
I almost doesn’t notice that the rest of the hobbits join the fellowship. That was what someone called us a few seconds ago.
- We will depart tomorrow morning. Everyone can go and pack the things they need and we will meet here in the morning.
- Is she actually going to follow us?
The dwarf sounds more concerned than irritated that I am going to be a part of the fellowship.
- You could kindly talk to me, and not to the people around me. Yes, I am going to be a part of the fellowship, and before anyone comments about my ability to fight. I have lived long enough to know how to fight pretty well. I am better than Legolas with a sword, even if he won’t tell you that, and I can use both a bow and throw knives without problem.
I walk away from the rest of the fellowship only half an hour after it is made. I am the only girl, and some of the people look down at me because of that. The only difference between them and me is that I look different downstairs than them.
- Arabelle, that was your name right?
I turn around a little too quickly and lose my footing. I have to grab the wall and because of that my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I look around for maybe five seconds before I understand that it was the hobbit that spoke to me. He sounds different than I thought he did.
- Yes, and I didn’t catch your name.
- Sam, miss.
- I think that we are going to spend a lot of time together in the near future so, my name is Arabelle to you. Nothing else. Please don’t call me Miss, that will just make me stand out even more.
- Sorry…
- Don’t worry about it, what did you want to talk about?
- I was wondering if you would like to help me cook on the quest, but that question sounds silly to me right now.
- I would like to help you, but I can tell you that Legolas is a much better cook than me. He has had many more years to learn, and I have never liked to cook that much. I know enough so that I can cook edible food but it is not the best. What I learned from you when we got here is that you are an incredible cook and that you can make a feast of something very little.
- Thank you so much, and I will ask Le… What did you say the elf’s name was?
- Legolas.
I walk to my room as fast as I can. I am so tired, and I know that most of my sleeping hours will be used guarding the fellowship.
I pack the most necessary things and fall asleep before I even have changed out of my dress.
The next morning I put on a pair of pants and a blouse that hides that I am female. The less I am flaunting it, the less people will say anything about it, or even think about it.
We start walking but only a few hours outside of the city do I place a hand on my stomach, it is swollen. That kind of swelling means I am going to get my period soon. I look back at the city where I grew up and then I think about what I packed. Nothing to help with that at least. How could I forget that I am still a female, with the functions of a female. I am not as smart as I thought I was…